Surfboard



y 1967 .1. P. GALLAGHER 3,317,937

SURF'BOARD Filed June 15, 1965 I n a' 42 14' no 3 INVENTOR.

JOHN p GALLAGHER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,317,937 SURFBOARD John P. Gallagher, 2415 Foxhall Road, NW.,

' Washington, D.C. 20007 Filed June 15, 1965, Ser. No. 464,047 3 Claims. (Cl. 9310) This invention relates to an improved surfboard or the like device adapted for transportation upon the surface of water.

It is a principle of the present invention to provide an improved surfboard having a head portion pivotally mounted to the body portion of the surfboard to thereby provide a wave-stabilized device.

It is another object to provide such a device including resilient means extending between the pivotally connected sectionsof the 'board to provide a continuous relatively flat undersurface for said surfboard.

These and other objects and advantages are provided in a surfboard comprising a body portion and a head portion and means pivotally connecting the body and the head portions for pivotal movement therebetween on an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the surfboard and in a plane parallel to the plane of the surfboard.

The invention will be more particularly described in reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the surfboard constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to that shown in FIG. 2 of a modified form of the surfboard of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, 10 generally designates a surfboard of the type adapted to support a human being for travel on wave crests.

Surfboard riding or surfing has become a very popular beach sport. However, the sport is relatively dangerous, particularly for the novice as it is necessary to keep the front or leading edge portion of the surfboard at a positive angle to the surface of the water; As soon as the leading edge of the surfboard penetrates the surface of the water the board tends to flip or cartwheel, throwing the passenger into the water and in some instances, the board strikes the rider resulting in broken limbs or loss of consciousness by the surfboard rider.

It has been found that if the forward or head portion of the surfboard is pivotally mounted to the main or body portion of the board, changes in attitude of the board which would normally cause a rigid surfboard to plunge into the water, will merely cause the pivotally mounted forward end to pivot upwardly and continue to ride over the surface of the waves.

The surfboard 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, consists of a main or body portion 12 and a head portion 14 having a leading edge 16. The head portion 14 is pivotally mounted to the body portion 12 by pivot means generally designated 18.

In FIG. 2 the pivotal connection between the head and the body portion of the surfboard comprises a pair of plates or brackets 20 rigidly attached to the body portion 12 by screws, bolts or the like 22. The other end, 24, of the pair of brackets 20 is pivotally mounted to the head portion 14 on a pivot pin 26, the axis of which is transverse to the longitudinal axis A of the surfboard 10 and in a plane parallel to the plane of the surfboard. In order to reduce turbulence to a minimum, the body portion 12 of the board is provided with a concave leading edge 28 having a radius about the axis 26 of the pivotal connection between the head 14 and the body 12 of the surfboard. The complementary surface 30 of the head is also cut on a substantially similar radius whereby as the head pivots from the flat horizontal position, shown in full lines in FIG. 2, to the phantom line position, close cooperation between the portions of the surfboard is maintained.

In a preferred arrangement of the surfboard, of the invention, a resilient sheet member 32 is mounted to the body portion and to the head portion in the region of the pivotal connection therebetween. The resilient sheet 32 presents a relatively smooth configuration for the undersurface of the surfboard in the region of the pivotal connections, and, further, where a cooperating resilient strip 34 is placed along the top surface, these two resilient strips tend to urge the surfboard into a rectilinear position making it easier to carry the board. Further the pair of strips provide a biasing force which reduces uncontrolled pivoting of the head portion relative to the body.

In FIG. 3 a modified form of the present invention is illustrated and similar parts are provided with corresponding primed reference characters. In FIG. 3 the surfboard 10 comprises a body portion 12' and a head portion 14. The head and body portions are interconnected by a dropleaf table-type connection generally designated 18'. It will be noted that the connection 18' includes a curvilinear portion 40 and straight portion 42. With the head and body portions of the surfboard in rectilinear relationship as illustrated in FIG. 3, the two straight edge portion 42 of the head and the body portion of the surfboard are in contact or abutting relationship which prevents the head portion 14' from dropping below the rectilinear position, without interfering with upward pivotal movement of the head portion relative to the body portion as illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 3. In this form of the invention resilient strips 32 and 34' are also provided for the upper and lower surfaces of the surfboard adjacent the pivotal connection.

The resilient strips 32, 32', 34 and 34', may be constructed of natural or synthetic elastomeric material which will permit flexure of the pivotally mounted head portion of the surfboard and the strips may be attached by fasteners, adhesives and the like. While the specific length of the head portion or the ratio of the head portion to the body portion is not in general critical. The head portion must have a length sufficient to control the attitude of the board and must not comprise the major portion of the surfboard.

In general very satisfactory results are obtained if the head portion comprises not more than /3 the total length of the board or is not less than three inches in length.

From the foregoing description of the present invention it will be seen that an improved surfboard is provided which successfully accomplishes the objects and advantages hereinbefore set forth. While various forms of the improved surfboard have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the device Without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the resilient strips 32, 32', 34 and 34' could be replaced by nonresilient flexible strips and the resilient urging of the head portion 14 and the body portion 12 into the rectilinear position could be provided by spring-hinge means of conventional design.

I claim:

1. A surfboard comprising a rigid body portion and a rigid head portion, means pivotally connecting the body and head portions for pivotal movement therebetween on an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the surfboard and in the plane of the surfboard, resilient strip means normally urging the head portion and the body portion into rectilinear alignment, said resilient strip means permitting the said head portion of the surfboard to move upwardly about said pivotal connection to thereby prevent the leading edge of the head portion from penetrating the water.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises an elastomeric strip on the undersurface of the surfboard adjacent the pivotal connection between the body portion and head portion, and means attaching said resilient strip to the head portion and the body portion.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a resilient strip on the upper and 4 lower surfaces of the surfboard adjacent the pivotal connection between the head portion and the body portion and means attaching said resilient strips to the head portion and the body portion of the surfboard.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,736,156 11/1929 Harter 9310 2,717,399 9/1955 Backhouse 9-310 2,986,751 6/1961 Baren 9-310 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED E. CORRIGAN, Examiner. 

1. A SURFBOARD COMPRISING A RIGID BODY PORTION AND A RIGID HEAD PORTION, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE BODY AND HEAD PORTIONS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN ON AN AXIS TRANSVERSE TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE SURFBOARD AND IN THE PLANE OF THE SURFBOARD, RESILIENT STRIP MEANS NORMALLY URGING THE HEAD PORTION AND THE BODY PORTION INTO RECTILINEAR ALIGNMENT, SAID RESILIENT STRIP MEANS PERMITTING THE SAID HEAD PORTION OF THE SURFBOARD TO MOVE UPWARDLY ABOUT SAID PIVOTAL CONNECTION TO THEREBY PREVENT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HEAD PORTION FROM PENETRATING THE WATER. 